The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-12-30
HEROD AND JOHN.
FIRST LESSON OF THE lNTERNA-
TloNAL s. s. SERIES. JAN. I, 1883.

TIoNAL s. s. SERIES, JAN. I, 1883.
Comments by Rev. william Newton,
ID. D.-Text Of Lesson, Matt. XIV. liz.
Golden Text, Matt. .iv.. 1s-Memorizs
Verses $40.
From Lesson Helper Quarterly, by permission
Of II. s. Hoffman, philadelphia, pubsher.l
Notes.-At that time, |. e., Of the preced-
ing chapter. Herod the Tetrarch, or Herod
Antipas, son of Herod the Great; Tetrarch
In strictness Of meaning, is the ruler Of the
fourth part Of kingdom, but sometimes, as
here, the third part, or Galilee and Perea
Fame or reports about his mighty works
His servants. or the officers of his court
,Herodias, granddaughter of Herod the Great.
Charger, a large dish or platter. The
damsel, or young woman, came, l. O. TO the
prison where John had been confined Told
Jesus, l. O., of the death of John.
V. I. These words seem to intimate that
Herod had just then heard of the great
works of Jesus. It seems that now, at last,
the officers OF his court had just begun to
talk about him, and wonder who he could
be. Now, as Jesus had been going about
doing his great works and speaking his won-
derful words for about eighteen months, this
ignorance on the part of Herod and his great
men shows very clearly at how great dis
tance they were living from all high and
holy influences
V. =. Clearly his courtiers were discussing
Jesus, and Herod undertook to enlighten them
about Him. This great teacher, with whose
fame the land was now ringing, was not
Jesus at oil. 1t was John the Baptist, whom
he had beheaded, who was risen from the
dead, and who therefore had power to do
these great works. Now this declaration of
Herod shows:
The power of guilty conscience; and the
wide spread belief in the resurrection; and
His conscience would not let him rest. He
knew that he wasa murderer. He knew that
John was an upright and holy man, and that
truth and right were on his side. Yet he
knew that to please an adulterous woman he
had shamefully put him to death Is it
wonder he could not restf II such man as
Herod could hold the doctrine of the resur-
rection, its place in the popular mind must
have been well assured. At least 1t must
have been widely discussed, as indeed the
mere existence OF the Sadducees, who denied
the doctrine, proves it to have been.
V. 3-5. Here lies the secret Of Herod's
great disquiet. And the links in the chain
of events are these : Herod had repudiated
his own lawful wife and was living in adult
cry with the wife Of his brother Philip John
had fearlessly rebuked him for his great sin,
and, Of course, had incurred the bitter en-
nifty Of Herodias. From that day he was a
doomed man, and nothing but fear of the
people restrained Herod from putting him to
death.
What could John dot Just what he did.
He must be "clear in his great Office" and
rebuke the offender. Publicly rebuke him.
The sin was before the people and SO must
Its condemnation be. AT all hazards he must
be true to his Lords words. And so must
the minister of Jesus now, He must not only
"exhort but he must "reprove and rebuke,"
and that too with all authority"
And how ready was Herods response. HE
would have killed John" No thought of
breaking off his sin by Righteousness or his
transgression by turning to the Lord. John
was the transgressor here. And so the burn
ing and shining light in Israel must be put
out and the greatest OF the prophets Of the
Lord borne to bloody death in order that
an adulterous woman might be gratified in
her revenge
Yet all through John was stronger than he
thought. Herod feared John. He knew he
was prophet, and the sanctities OF q spot
less character shut him m ON every side.
V.6,7. The birthday" here, probably
means the anniversary OF his accession to
power. 1t was usual Tor kings to observe
this day with great pomp-as Herod doubt
less did on this occasion. This daughter OF
derodias" was Saiome, ner oaugnter py ner
first husband She must have partaken OF
her mothers character, for no modest female
would have made such exhibition Of her.
self before such an assembly. Knowing him
as she did, was this all planned by Herodias,
to bring about her long plotted revenge on
Johnf lnfiamed by wine, by music, by the
brilliant surroundings OF the feast and the
dancing girl, the king bound himself with an
oath to give her whatsoever she desired
Mark adds, even to the half OF his king
DOM"
V. SlO. Here was the opportunity de-
sired. And 1t was well improved, TOO; Tor,
instructed by her mother, she demanded
tine mead OF John the baptiso. What re-
ques1 ior young s"i W inahe' hao sa
.al,ic ha.e mus. n%Te i"nAu ~ one nesi
@ .naV n no. ,'..', ap =. NJ W 49,.
Ininss ~ sne ups ,naS ''.'a us.eaeu ~ IuDS T
,ie,ou was oeyoiu ii.a'ure sui p.,seu ,aVeh n
ne n"i i'Uo eApeoeu W. pu' ~ .no nnauae,s
Vi nis ioiiy he hn. Dounu in ni,''so. ~ an oa'n
wh'cn no .houno 3, ne ;';.., Sou NV 49,. anu ~
.ne piesenoo VI .nUSe se' ~ .o' oauo
uiui " w eyen - ne sou u ~ ,no IN. ~
mann "us s,son, ooh t S'1 mas ,',u a., an. LIS us
neau pissenoeu " sne Ti VIZ ~ su
Presen'eu 4. " nel naoy"1l Io "L,o,1
| ~ business Is uone' anu Jun" 'i'' no'''''e'' ala
'ne PRISON; a,
| w -. ine he"s was no' ,ons M spIeauns
ms u,sciPies heeiu VI ~, Snu WIN ie,eien.
anu a,iee'ionaSe sor.o" ,ooA aP n,s D'y @ anu
pufieu ~ anu weii' anu Soiu oesuS' Nu"'
unere Is aonie'nnis Vo'y - yn',.
lneir FORMER Jeaio1sy ot Se'us, ~, oonn
SAKE seems 70 nave aieu a"ay anu, anu 'ney @ so.u
nun Oh sne uanser .nas nisn. .eaon .a even ~ ~
niu' VI GU, >. my .i'. nue" Ir T,a e 49,. ".
.ha. oouau .nen e1ne Is - is nns" ,;.p HH'
| % -. So.s,,a, rLs,